Garment-stay.



M. M. BEEMAN.

GARMENT STAY.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, 1908.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

4 3 1 mwm,H m HUM m 1 m i 2 w m e F r H ,VM m L I I I I H H l T H H H l ll l l l l H HlHH| IIIII I wild/M fly W w/m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARCUS 1V[. IBEEMAN, 0F MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE SPIRELLA COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GARMENT-STAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 28, 1908.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

Serial No. 459,893.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARCUS M. BEEMAN, a resident of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Garment-Stays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to garment stays or clasp members, and particularly to stays for corsets and similar garments.

The object of the invention is to provide a metallic stay which can be used as a substitute for whalebone or other stays usually employed, which is perfectly flexible so as to yield to the form or movements of the person wearing the garment containing the stay, and particularly which is so constructed that the bending due to flexure is distributed throughout the length of the stay and not confined to a portion or portions of the stay, thereby preventing crystallization of the metal and the resultant breakage of the stay.

The invention comprises a garment stay consisting of a flat strip of resilient metal bent sidewise on itself in successive overlapping parts.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side view of the improved stay; Fig. 2 is an edge view of the Same; Fig. 3 is an edge view of a slight modification; Fig. 4 is a side view showing the stay on the usual fabric casing; and Fig. 5 is a view showing the application of fastening means to the Sta li he stay is formed from a continuous strip or ribbon of metal 1 which is bent transversely and folded sidewise on itself so as to form a number of overlapping parts. As shown the strip is bent sidewise alternately in reverse directions, so as to form the portions 2 forming the two opposite side faces of the stay and arranged alternately and in parallel planes; that is, so that the portions 2 on one side extend over the meeting ends of the corresponding portions on the opposite side. These side portions 2 are united by the intermediate portions 3 extending alternately in opposite directions. All of these parts lie practically parallel to each other and the stay as a whole is, therefore, formed throughout its length of three plies or thickness of metal. Fig. 2 shows the parts flattened to lie in close contact, while Fig. 3 shows a more open formation of greater thickness than that of Fig. 2.

Preferably the face portions 2- are slightly concaved transversely of the stay to brace it sufficiently to cause it to automatically resume its normal condition after it has been relieved from flexure.

The stay described can be easily and cheaply manufactured from strips of suitable metal, and forms a flat stay which is very flexible at all points and which readily yields to accommodate itself to the form or movements of the person wearing the garment containing the same. By having successive overlapping parts the bending movements are distributed and there is no concentration of the bending at any point or few points; consequently the metal does not crystallize and break, as is the case with many metallic stays. The stay can be made of any desired size, and manufactured of any Suitable metal, but preferably of steel capable of being bent in the form described and afterward tempered to render the same resilient.

Any suitable fastening means can be applied thereto, such as riveting to one stay or clasp member plates 5 provided with key-hole openings 6 for receiving studs 7 on the opposite stay or clasp member. The ends are furnished by the usual clips 8. The stay will be used in the same manner as ordinary garment stays, preferably incased in a fabric casing?) which usually forms a part of the corset or other garment. Its flat form adapts it for all stay uses.

What I claim is 1. A garment stay or clasp member comprising a broad thin strip of resilient metal bent transversely and folded sidewise on itself into successive overlapping parts and forming a flat structure composed of a plurality of plies of said strip superimposed one on the other.

2. A garment stay or clasp member comprising a broad thin strip of resilient metal folded on itself in successive overlapping parts oppositely disposed with relation to each other and forming a flat structure composing a plurality of plies superimposed upon and in close proximity to each other.

3. A garment stay or clasp member consisting of a broad thin strip or ribbon of resilient metal bent to form a plurality of plies and having successive portions arranged alternately on opposite faces of the stay and united by intermediate portions extending. alternately in opposite directions.

4. A garment stay or clasp member consisting of a continuous comparatively broad strip or ribbon of metal having successive portions arranged alternately on opposite faces of the-stay, and intermediate portions ext-ending alternately in opposite directions and uniting the ends of the oppositely disposed face portions, all said parts lying in.

substantially parallel planes.

5. A garment stay or clasp consisting of a continuous comparatively broad strip or ribbon of metal having successive portions arranged alternately on opposite faces of the stay and intermediate portions extending al ternately in opposite directions and uniting the ends of oppositely disposed face portions, said face portions being curved or concaved transversely.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set hand.

MARCUS M. BEEMAN. Witnesses:

A. J. PALM,

JAS. M. WELSH.

r Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centsieaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

